Several minimum wage hike proposals have been introduced in the new 2015-2016 legislative session. On February 9, the Raise the Minimum Wage PA Coalition kicked off an event to highlight efforts to increase Pennsylvania′s rate of $7.25 per hour to $10.10 per hour.

Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) has introduced a five-bill package that would raise the minimum wage to a $10.10 per hour rate and Rep. Patty Kim (D-Dauphin) has announced plans to do the same in the House.

Surprisingly they have an ally in Senator Scott Wagner (R-York). On January 26, he circulated a co-sponsorship memo to Senate members to alert them that he would be introducing legislation to raise the minimum wage to $8.75 per hour in $0.50 increments over the course of three years. His legislation would provide for a "training wage" for everyone under age 18 that would be equal to the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

According to the PA Independent, ‟ J. Wesley Leckrone, a political science professor at Widener University, said raising the minimum wage would be an “uphill battle,” given that Pennsylvania’s General Assembly tilted even further to the right in the last election and that business-friendly Republicans usually oppose the policy. It’s also hard to think the GOP would give a victory to new Gov. Tom Wolf."